Johansen released, Valdez to DL in Nats' minor league moves

Johansen released, Valdez to DL in Nats' minor league moves
The Nationals announced they have released right-handers Jake Johansen and Mark Blackmar. The club has assigned right-hander Taylor Hill to Double-A Harrisburg from Triple-A Syracuse. Also, catcher Nick Rickles and right-handers Andrew Robinson and Derek Eitel have been assigned to Harrisburg from extended spring training. Johansen is the biggest name of those released today as a 2013 second-round selection. Early on, some in baseball circles envisioned a one-two punch of the 6-foot-6 Johansen...

Hill, Suero, Lee, McGowin and Soto look to make splash in big league camp

Hill, Suero, Lee, McGowin and Soto look to make splash in big league camp
Three top Nationals prospects were invited to big league camp, which starts this week, including the Nats' top pitching prospect. I have written a good amount on Erick Fedde, Drew Ward and Andrew Stevenson. Here is a closer look five other non-roster invitees to Nats camp: RHP Taylor Hill 27 6-foot-3, 230 lbs. Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt Hill has made nine appearances and pitched 21 innings in the big leagues with the Nats from 2014-2015, including one start. He has made 74 appearances in his...

Difo, Grace, Jordan among Nats' first camp cuts

Difo, Grace, Jordan among Nats' first camp cuts
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals made their first cuts of spring camp, with infielder Wilmer Difo, left-hander Matt Grace and right-hander Taylor Jordan optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Additionally, right-handers Taylor Hill and Paolo Espino and catchers Raudy Read and Brian Jerolomon have been reassigned to minor league camp. "A couple guys were surprised because they were such early cuts, but some of the guys need some work," manager Dusty Baker said. Difo, one of the organization's most...

Nationals avoid arbitration with Wilson Ramos (Davis and Hill outrighted to Syracuse)

Nationals avoid arbitration with Wilson Ramos (Davis and Hill outrighted to Syracuse)
The Nationals avoided arbitration with catcher Wilson Ramos, agreeing to terms on a reported salary of $5.35 million in 2016. Ramos, 28, is entering the final year of his contract with Washington. Injuries limited Ramos to a combined total of 191 games played from 2012-2014. But Ramos avoided the disabled list last season, starting a career-high 123 games behind the plate. Despite his durability, Ramos experienced one of his toughest seasons offensively. His .229 batting average, .258 on-base...

Nats officially announce deals with Daniel Murphy, Stephen Drew

Nats officially announce deals with Daniel Murphy, Stephen Drew
The Nationals announced this afternoon that they have finalized a three-year contract with second baseman Daniel Murphy. The deal, originally agreed upon on Christmas Eve and reportedly worth $37.5 million, was pending only a physical, which Murphy has passed. Murphy, who turns 31 on April 1, will be formally introduced during a press conference on Thursday at Nationals Park with live coverage beginning on MASN and MASNsports.com at noon. In addition, the Nationals officially confirmed a...

Gonzalez aims to prevent season sweep; Hill recalled (with lineups, game postponed)

Gonzalez aims to prevent season sweep; Hill recalled (with lineups, game postponed)
Left-hander Gio Gonzalez takes the hill as the Nationals attempt to prevent a season sweep by the Reds. Gonzalez has pitched brilliantly his last two starts, allowing just one run over 14 innings with 10 strikeouts and two walks. The Reds tagged Gonzalez for four runs over 5 1/3 innings in the Nationals' 8-5 loss back on May 30. The big blow came on a two-run homer from Reds first baseman Joey Votto in the third. Votto has torched the Nats in the Reds' five wins this year. He's batting .450...

Bryce Harper won't play; Williams reacts (with lineups)

Bryce Harper won't play; Williams reacts (with lineups)
Bryce Harper is out of the Nationals lineup today after suffering a mild strain of his left hamstring last night. Clint Robinson will play right field and bat cleanup. I caught up with manager Matt Williams at Nationals Park in an exclusive live video chat for MASNsports.com earlier this afternoon. "(Bryce) is here," Williams said. "He's getting some treatment. We'll see how he is today and put him through a series of tests, if you will - light tests - to see where he's at. If he...

Doug Fister returns to the mound, Hill optioned (with lineups)

Doug Fister returns to the mound, Hill optioned (with lineups)
In Doug Fister's last start, the right-hander lasted only two innings after surrendering seven runs, including two on homers, in a loss in San Diego on May 14. The next day, Fister landed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained flexor muscle in his right forearm. Fister will make his first start tonight after being activated off the DL this afternoon by the Nationals. In his previous six outings before the injury, Fister was 2-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 37 2/3 innings. To make room for Fister,...

Scarce offense and bullpen woes leave Nats swept in Cincinnati

Scarce offense and bullpen woes leave Nats swept in Cincinnati
After sprinting through May with baseball's best record, the Nationals stumbled to the finish line, succumbing to a three-game sweep in today's 8-2 loss to the Reds. The normally explosive Nats offense managed just two hits against Reds rookie right-hander Michael Lorenzen - and one of them came from starter Tanner Roark. "A little blip," Nationals manager Matt Williams said to reporters after the loss. "We got two out of three in Chicago and came here and things didn't go our way, but we...

Neck tightness lands Strasburg on the DL, Harper scratched with sore back

Neck tightness lands Strasburg on the DL, Harper scratched with sore back
The Nationals have placed Stephen Strasburg on the 15-day disabled list with neck tightness. Strasburg was forced to leave last night's 5-2 loss to the Reds after throwing just 16 pitches. The right-hander finished the first inning and then began experiencing the discomfort while in the Nats dugout. "I kinda just sat down and for some reason it just locked up on me," Strasburg told reporters after the game. It was the second game this month that Strasburg left prematurely due to injury. On...

Nats option Hill to Triple-A, reassign three others to minors (with lineups)

Nats option Hill to Triple-A, reassign three others to minors (with lineups)
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Nationals have optioned right-handed pitcher Taylor Hill to Triple-A Syracuse and reassigned right-handers Eric Fornataro, Mitch Lively, and Scott McGregor to minor league camp. Hill, 26, made three appearances this spring, allowing two earned runs on five hits in four innings, while striking out five, walking none and hitting two batters. A sixth-round pick by the Nationals in 2006, Hill rejoins Syracuse, where he was 11-7 with a 2.81 ERA in 24 starts last season. He made...

Despite loss, Taylor Hill "pretty jacked up" to earn first major league start

Despite loss, Taylor Hill "pretty jacked up" to earn first major league start
Right-hander Taylor Hill got his first major league start for the Nationals and almost got through five innings. But that last out in the fifth proved to be too much, and the Marlins scored five runs to take the lead for good, 7-4, on their way to a 15-7 victory over the Nationals. Hill went 4 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and seven runs, with two walks and four strikeouts. "I definitely wasn't sharp like I obviously wanted to be," Hill said. "But that's part of it. It's part of...

Williams discusses Nats' 15-7 loss

Williams discusses Nats' 15-7 loss
The Nationals concluded their four-game-in-two-day stretch tonight by getting pounded by the Marlins 15-7, but that means nothing. Matt Williams' ball club had already clinched home-field advantage through the National League side of the playoffs earlier today by way of their 4-0 win over Miami, so the nightcap was meaningless from a standings perspective. The Nats got in their work, got a couple regulars some at-bats to stay fresh, and emerged healthy after a really rough last 48...

Hill making first major league start (Nats lose 15-7)

Hill making first major league start (Nats lose 15-7)
Right-hander Taylor Hill managed to battle his way out of a tough jam in the first inning of his initial major league start. The Marlins got a walk and two base hits in the first. Casey McGehee's RBI single got the Marlins on the board first, 1-0. Hill then induced a huge 4-6-3 double play from Garrett Jones to derail the rally. Hill's Triple-A Syracuse teammate, outfielder Michael A. Taylor, came up big for his buddy to begin the bottom of the first, slamming a double to deep center. Kevin...

Williams sets pitching rotation for remainder of season

Williams sets pitching rotation for remainder of season
The Nationals postponed Wednesday night's game because of rain. The game has been rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on Thursday with the first game at 1:05 p.m. and the second game at 7:05 p.m. Blake Treinen will start Game 1 and Gio Gonzalez will start Game 2. Taylor Hill and Doug Fister will be the starters Friday. Stephen Strasburg starts Saturday and Jordan Zimmermann will start Sunday. In terms of the order for the postseason, it has not been officially announced, but this...

Williams discusses Nats' 9-2 loss to Brewers

Williams discusses Nats' 9-2 loss to Brewers
Manager Matt Williams provided reporters with his thoughts on Stephen Strasburg's rough start, rookie Taylor Hill's first outing and the dustup between Ian Desmond and Carlos Gomez following the Nationals' 9-2 loss to the Brewers. Strasburg fell to 6-6 with perhaps his worst start of the season. Hill saved the bullpen by pitching the final 3 1/3 innings and cooler heads prevailed after Desmond and Gomez went at each other following the eighth inning. Here's what Williams had to say after...

Desmond on scrum with Gomez, Strasburg on struggles, Hill on debut

Desmond on scrum with Gomez, Strasburg on struggles, Hill on debut
Stephen Strasburg's struggles and Taylor Hill's major league debut in Wednesday's series-ending 9-2 loss to the Brewers were overshadowed by a few tense moments after the eighth inning. The eighth had ended on a double play where Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez, after being hit by a Hill pitch, slid hard into Kevin Frandsen at second trying to break it up. Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond didn't like the fact that Gomez issued a takeout slide in that situation, potentially hurting Frandsen late in...

Williams on roster move, Ramos, Harper, Saturday doubleheader

Williams on roster move, Ramos, Harper, Saturday doubleheader
Coming off Tuesday's 16-inning win in Milwaukee, the Nationals certainly didn't have a quiet morning leading up to this afternoon's series finale at Miller Park. The Nats needed seven relievers to cover 10 innings in last night's victory, so a move to add an arm to the bullpen was a near-certainty. So Washington called up right-handed pitching prospect Taylor Hill from Triple-A Syracuse and designated reserve infielder Greg Dobbs for assignment. Manager Matt Williams discussed the...

Taylor Hill on callup: "It's definitely a dream come true"

Taylor Hill on callup: "It's definitely a dream come true"
Taylor Hill's breakthrough with Triple=A Syracuse and the Nationals' need for length in their bullpen following last night's 16-inning game has landed the 25-year-old in the major leagues for the first time. Hill is having a tremendous first full season at Triple-A, tying for the International League lead with a 1.92 ERA, leading the IL with 93 2/3 innings and ranking second with a 0.99 WHIP. Stingy, indeed. Now he finds himself in a Nationals uniform, filling a long-relief role. "It's...

Nats call up Hill, designate Dobbs for assignment (plus two other moves, lineups)

Nats call up Hill, designate Dobbs for assignment (plus two other moves, lineups)
MILWAUKEE - The Nationals have officially called up right-handed pitching prospect Taylor Hill from Triple-A Syracuse, and designated infielder Greg Dobbs for assignment to make room on the 40- and 25-man rosters. The Nats have 10 days to release, trade or outright Dobbs to the minors. Hill, 25, will be making his first appearance in the majors and will be available in relief today. On top of those two roster moves, the Nats reinstated utility man Jeff Kobernus from the 60-day disabled list...